Dedicated team to be set up within ICAR for sugarcane research in India: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday announced that a dedicated team will be set up within the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) for sugarcane research in India, and this team will also work on the sugarcane policy.

The Minister made this announcement while addressing a national discussion on the sugarcane economy, organised by Rural Voice and the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories in collaboration with the ICAR.

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Chouhan highlighted that sugarcane variety 238 has shown good sugar content but is vulnerable to red rot disease.

He emphasised the need to work simultaneously on developing alternatives.
Controlling diseases, Chouhan said, is a critical challenge since new varieties often bring new disease risks.

He pointed out that mono-cropping leads to multiple problems, including nutrient depletion and limitations in nitrogen fixation. The possibility of replacing mono-cropping with intercropping, he noted, requires careful assessment.

“We are aware of the challenges,” Chouhan said. “We must focus on increasing production and mechanisation, reducing costs, and improving sugar recovery. Water use is a serious concern. Under the principle of ‘per drop, more crop,’ we need strategies to reduce water requirements. At the same time, we must consider the financial burden on farmers, since drip irrigation involves significant costs.”

The Minister also stressed the importance of bioproducts. He noted that while ethanol and molasses have well-established uses, new value-added products need to be developed to increase farmers’ profits. He also underlined the potential of natural farming to help reduce fertilizer dependency.

Chouhan acknowledged the issues around the sugar value chain, stating that farmers’ grievances about delayed payments were genuine. While sugar mills face their own difficulties, he said, farmers remain at a disadvantage when payments are delayed.

The Minister further highlighted the shortage of agricultural labour and suggested training and capacity building, along with innovations in mechanisation, to make sugarcane harvesting less labour-intensive.

“I urge ICAR to form a separate team for sugarcane research, focusing on practical issues. Research must benefit both farmers and industry. Research that does not serve farmers is meaningless,” he said.